Identity
by Ranoko
Summary: Duck wonders about who she really is... Set during the series, not long after she is placed in Drosselmeyer's world.


- Takes place right after Duck is forced to dance as Tutu in Drosselmeyer's world, and before she is set at the table. Not the best drabble, but it fills the gaps I saw/felt. -

* * *

Drosselmeyer sat in his chair, watching the drama unfold. Duck had recently been brought over into his realm, for she was getting far too independent for his liking. She was straying from what Princess Tutu would do, and she _was_ Princess Tutu! This needed to be fixed quickly, for things were escalating in the story. Even the useless knight was realizing that, as he attempted to harness his newfound power of writing. But he wasn't doing it _right_. Heh. But really, trying to forcibly change the route of the story? Especially while he was _in it_? "_Good grief, you'd be better off letting the story pull you along, like a good boy_." Drosselmeyer glanced over his cast of characters once more. "_Well, it's of no real consequence_." Drosselmeyer turned his attention back to Princess Tutu, as he continued to make her dance by her strings. "_You needn't fret, little duck; I'll be coming for you soon…_"

* * *

Duck continued dancing in a daze. The last words she had heard from Drosselmeyer echoed in her mind.

_Marionettes are their most free when they are being manipulated by their strings. You won't be able to leave this place unless you acknowledge_ _that_.

Duck didn't want to believe that she was a puppet, but yet here she was, unable to control her own movements. If that was true, could she even control her own thoughts? Did she have a choice in anything? Maybe that was why she felt so strongly for Mytho; perhaps she had been created that way… Mytho was the Prince of the story, so she was supposed to love him, right?

But she had wanted to help him even before she knew that he was the Prince! She had seen him dancing while she was still just a duck, and without knowing anything else, she thought he was wonderful, and she wanted to help him. Those had been _her_ feelings. After that, she had been given the pendant, and become Princess Tutu…

But did that mean that her feelings right now weren't her own? She certainly seemed to become someone else when she was Princess Tutu, for she could dance anything and everything en pointe. As just Duck, she hadn't even earned her pointe shoes yet. Of course, as a duck, she couldn't even _wear_ pointe shoes… But that didn't mean she didn't still love dancing. It was wonderful, and fun, and beautiful! She always loved to watch Mytho dance, and Rue dance, and Fakir too! It was always fun to watch people dance, and she had wanted to join in the fun. That was how she had always felt. Surely that must be her own feeling.

But… What about these other feelings? Feelings she had for Mytho, and Fakir…

She turned some pirouettes. Princess Tutu lived a tragedy; she could never reveal her true feelings or else disappear. Duck was Princess Tutu right now, but deep inside, she was still just a duck. One that loved to dance, and to see people smile. That _had_ to be who she really was, right? That was why she still wanted to help Mytho, right?

Her dancing then stopped, but her body still wasn't under her own control. Her strings tightened, and she was lifted up into the air, although parts of her limbs fell limp, done with their performance. She was raised into the darkness, and then stopped. She tried to move her arms, but she couldn't. Her legs wouldn't respond either. She found that could move her head as she wished, though.

She saw that the gears were still silent, still unmoving. The puppets earlier had said that _she_ was the one that had stopped them. But what did she have to do with them at all? Did it have something to do with her being Princess Tutu?

… No matter what the reason, Duck was sure that at least some of the feelings she had were definitely her own. Princess Tutu or not, she experienced things that made her feel certain ways. One of them was wanting to help Mytho regain his heart. And she would continue to try to do that, no matter what.


End file.
